With warmer weather arriving, more people are out
and about looking for garage sales. A garage sale is a great way to get rid
of things you no longer need that are just taking up space in your home.
Experts note that de-cluttering is very therapeutic, and a garage sale gives you
just that opportunity to unload things that are of no use to you.
Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to get
people to come to your sale or even buy things when they get there. Follow these
simple tips for the most successful garage sale ever.
Advertise
Get your garage sale out there and let the community
know where you are. Put adds in the local newspaper and online classifieds. Put
info on where you are located, what time the sale is at, and list a few of your
bigger items. This will encourage people to visit the sale. Put up signs around
your town and neighborhood directing people to your sale. Posters and flyers
can be put up on bulletin boards at restaurants and stores. Tell everyone you
know about your sale and ask him, or her to tell other people. Information can
travel fast by word of mouth, and it is one of the best forms of
advertising. Don’t forget signs
directing people to your house the day of the sale and maybe some balloons on
your mailbox.
Display
Make your display attractive for when people arrive
at your sale, a bunch of stuff strewn around your yard will not entice people
to buy anything. Set things neatly on tables and shelves. Do not stack things
up where people cannot see them. Leave plenty of room for people to walk and
see your merchandise. Sort things out, for example, put kitchenware on one
table, toys on another, and clothes on a third.
This way, if people are looking for certain objects they will be able to
find it quickly.
Mark
with Tags
Clearly mark all items you are selling with tags.
This will make it easier for people to see prices and information about the
products. For example if you were selling a sofa put a tag that says: Floral
sofa, 8 years old, $75 You will be busy enough manning your sale that you will
not have time to answer questions like; “How much is this?”. If you have
several small items that you don't want to label separately, you could put them
all in a basket or on a table and mark it with a sign that says “x” price each.
Make
the Atmosphere Friendly
Keep the atmosphere friendly at your garage sale;
consider serving free coffee or cookies or playing some quiet music. When
people are happy and are comfortable, they will be more willing to spend money.
Introduce yourself to people, and thank them for attending your sale. Answer
any question people may have about your items in a friendly manner. Show people
things they might like and help them look for things they are looking for. Some
people may have trouble getting their purchases to the car, so offer them a bag
for carrying, or give them a hand.
Consider
Lowering Prices
Lowering prices may actually help you gain more
money in the end. If people ask you for a price break in an object, thing about
it before you say no. Someone may just buy something else as well if you give a
price break, while if you say no they may not buy anything at all. Give price
breaks to people who purchase large items, or spend a lot of money. If
you have a weekend-long sale, tell people who come to come back on
Sunday when everything will be discounted. If people have their eye on a
certain thing, they may come back to purchase if for a lower price.
Above all, have fun. A garage sale does not have to
be a tremendous amount of work if you are organized. It is a great opportunity
to make some extra money and meet some new people. When your sale is finished
arrange to have what is left taken to a local shelter or charity shop. You can
feel good about donating and you don’t have to move things back inside your
home.
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